Game, set, heart
by Tennis girl 1731
Summary: Lizzie is a tennis player that is not doing so well. Darcy is a top 10 player, and he is, well, Darcy. A party, a kiss, and suddenly Lizzie's life is upside down, but she is also having the best time ever in years. It is indeed, a dangerous game to play. Will she win?
1. Chapter 1

I'm a tennis fan, so expect lots of it. So, let's get started. I don't know much about this world from the inside so I used my imagination. Ps: for the ones not into tennis, Lizzie's friend is a tennis player named Caroline Wozniacki and his boyfriend is Rory McIlroy.

Enjoy.

"0-40" Elizabeth groaned. She was having a terrible day.

"Game, set and match to Miss Dementieva"

Elizabeth walked to the net to shake the hand of the winner's match. What a weird thing being on the loser's side. Not.

Yes, It was definitely a bad day.

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"You need to get a life, mate. Go out, meet a beautiful girl, fall in love. Perhaps that will improve your mood," Charlie said.

The ball hit the net for the 10th time. "I have a life Charles. My life is tennis. Winning, traveling, improving my game. I don't have time to meet a Barbie girl who can't even name the actual president of the United States."

"Who would not know George Bush? Preposterous, of course," said Charlie.

Darcy gave him a pointed look. "I'm not in the mood for your jokes, Bingley. You should be helping me train for tomorrow's match. I think I pay you enough for that."

"What you should be doing, is getting ready for tonight's players party! Come on Darce! I heard there are going to be lots of pretty girls. That should be fun."

"We KNOW all these 'pretty girls' Charlie. They have been on the tennis tour with us for ages. Besides, I told you I don't want to meet anyone that distracts me from winning titles, " said Darcy.

Charles rolled his eyes. And he prayed Darcy would not scare all the girls tonight. If his friend didn't want to have fun, he was.

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"I'm sorry about today's match, Lizzie."

"It's okay, Caro. You know it happens to me regularly. I wonder what would happen if I suddenly abandon my tennis career. I bet no one would notice," said Lizzie.

"Don't say that! You are one of the nicest and sweetest friends there are on tour! Everyone adores you! Well, I adore you. And you are the strongest person there is. Don't let a bad moment ruin your happiness."

"You are right Caro, I need to relax for a bit," said Elizabeth rubbing her temples.

"Hey! I have an idea. Why don't you come with me to the players' party tonight?"

"You know I can't go. I'm not even in the top 100, so I don't have an invitation. Besides, what would I do there? All I need is a good movie date with my TV and an enormous ice cream to feel better, " laughed Lizzie. "And Rory would kill me for taking his fiancée away."

"C'mon let's go! Rory is not going, he is still playing at the golf tournament in Miami. You could be my plus one" winked Caroline " and Maria will be there! You got to meet her new boyfriend! I bet she is already planning her wedding... Again."

" I guess I could see that." Laughed Lizzie.

"Well, it's settled then. You are coming. Buckle your seats boys, because the amazing Elizabeth Bennet, gorgeous tennis player, is going to rock this party!"

"Perhaps I could find a nice guy to share a dance," said Lizzie.

"Or play a game or two," winked Caroline.

"Caro!"

"Hey Lizzie, relax! I was talking about tennis! Or not," said Caro.

Lizzie laughed.


	2. Author's note

Hey guys! I'm new to all of this so I didn't know how to write a note at the end of the chapter. Let me know if you would like me to keep writing the story, this is just an idea I had and I'm not sure about it yet. 


	3. Chapter 3

Sorry for the delay. Had finals last week. Med school "kinda" takes a lot of my time ;) here we go! Hope you like it. And remember, this is not accurate; I'm just using my imagination.

Chapter 2

"So, we have the people from ESPN, Fox Sports and Tennis Channel for the sports coverage, and Vogue, Elle and People for the fashion talk; and of course the gossip" said Jane, talking on the phone.

"I swear, I love my sister, but sometimes I think she takes her job too seriously, " Lizzie said.

"Believe me Lizzie, Maria asks for that kind of attention. Everyone wants to know about her next tournament, or her current relationship," said Charlotte.

"Unlike boring Lizzie Bennet,"

"Lizzie, that's not what I meant!" cried Charlotte "I like being your manager. Maria is way too much drama for me."

"Relax Charlotte! I was just teasing you," laughed Lizzie " Besides, I love Maria, and I know how well she handles all the media."

"I know right? She does splendidly in front of the cameras. I am quite sure she will be smiling without a care in the world tomorrow, when she arrives with her new man," admitted Charlotte.

"Well ladies, I am all yours for the whole afternoon. So, what are we doing?" said Jane

"We have to choose Lizzie's outfit for tomorrow, call the stylist and arrange the transportation," Charlotte said checking on her agenda.

"If that's all it takes to make Lizzie's night perfect, I am so in!" laughed Jane.

"Uhmm girls? That's not what I thought we were doing. I was looking forward to spending my afternoon with two of my favorite girls," whined Lizzie.

"But Lizzie! We are all ready for the party tomorrow except you. And we are just part of the team, you are the star here, young lady,"

"Oh Janey! You really are the sweetest. But you got to admit it, you do it for me but you also do it because you love organizing everyone all the time. I will have to write a formal complain to Maria, this is all her fault," joked Lizzie.

"Shut it and let the genius work here," said Jane signaling Charlotte and herself.

Three hours later, and after what it seemed 'a thousand' dresses later, Lizzie finally had her outfit for the big night. Jane and Charlotte where enjoying far more than they wanted to admit; and Lizzie was exhausted and more nervous than ever.

'I don't know why I said I would go to this thing' thought Lizzie 'It's too much stress to live up to this party's expectations.'

"Are we done yet?" asked Lizzie

"Almost! We just have to pick your hairstyle, your makeup; your shoes…" said Charlotte distractedly.

"Aww Lizzie you will look like a princess," said Jane talking to the stylist on possible hairdos for her sister.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

Both Charlotte and Jane stopped their previous activities and looked shocked.

"So, that's what it takes to get my friends' attention, huh?" said Lizzie with a triumphant grin.

"Honey, screaming like a crazy person will get everyone's attention, no matter when or where! I think I just had a heart attack, " Charlotte said. "I think you should take a rest"

"YES! That's exactly what I wanted to hear. I think I'm going for a run,"

"Don't worry sis, take your time, we've got everything covered around here!" said Jane excitedly

"I am sure you do," said Lizzie, murmuring 'talking about crazy' under her breath.

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"Darcy! I need you to focus on this. I just have a couple of questions more on your next appointments"

"I'm sorry John, you were saying?"

"I think we could do this the day after tomorrow, its not that urgent. I just have one more question: Do you have a date for tomorrow night?" said John, and added, "Don't look at me like that. As your manager I need to be informed on the subject. I am not asking you about your love life, I just want to know if you are taking anyone"

"The answer is no," said Darcy, thinking of a way to get distracted from the exhausting afternoon.

"Would that be all? I want to go for a run"

"Hmm I don't think that would be the wisest idea, Darce," John said " you know Australia has more paparazzi than every other place you have ever visited before."

"Don't worry John, no one will notice its me, I just need to relax for a while," said Darcy putting a hooded sweater on.

"Yeah, sure, NO ONE will notice," said John sarcastically and rolled his eyes.

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What Lizzie loved the most about Melbourne, was her long runs across the bay. Being able to run carelessly listening to her favorite music, and watching the sunset as she run away, was priceless for her.

'I wonder how is Lydia doing at the moment. I think I could buy her a little something on the next couple of days'

Time passed, as she thought about her family, her career and so many other things, that she barely realized her phone was ringing for the fifth time in a row.

"Hello?"

"Lizzie! Thank God, I thought you have drowned yourself to avoid going to the party tomorrow. Where are you?"

"Hi Caroline, dearest, you and your subtle comments are missed, as always. I am just jogging at the bay. Why? Did something happened?" said Lizzie alarmed.

"Nothing at all sweetie. I was going to your hotel to ask you what time should I pick you up tomorrow," laughed Caro, "And to tell you Maria already knows you are coming and is as excited as she can be. She lost her phone, so I am her messenger at the moment. I am looking forward to having fun tomorrow night! Get ready for all the paparazzi girlfriend, because you will be asked about every single detail you can think of."

"Caro, I don't think I am ready to…"

"Lizzie, I have to go, Rory is calling me. We'll talk tomorrow okay? Love you! Bye"

Lizzie was so distracted after the call she didn't see a couple of cyclists, inexperienced by the looks of it, coming towards her.

"Hey, lady! Watch out!"

Lizzie freaked out and threw herself to the side and suddenly she realized she had not fallen on the floor, but on the top of a guy. And a very handsome one.

" Are you insane? Why did you throw yourself to the side like that without seeing if anyone is around you?" said the guy standing up, and attracting lots of attention.

"I am sorry, there were these cyclists…"

"I don't care what you have to say. I have to understand some people are not as sane as I am. If you excuse me," said the man turning away, leaving Lizzie embarrassed and alone.

Lizzie stood there, shocked, thinking about the handsome stranger with the bluest eyes she had ever seen.

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And they met again, earlier than they expected it.

After her run and the incident she was still thinking about, Lizzie went to her favorite ice cream shop in town. It was pretty crowded, so she thought she would just buy a cone and then she would walk back to her hotel as soon as possible.

So she entered the famous shop, and when she was about to order her ice cream, a man reached the counter and asked for an ice cream, taking out his wallet to pay for it.

"Excuse me, I was here first!" said Lizzie

The man turned around. "Oh! Look what we have here! The crazy 'tornado-like' girl at the bay! I should probably stand farther away."

"I beg your pardon?!"

'No one besides my friends and family call me crazy! This infuriating man is questioning my sanity again!' thought Lizzie.

Just when she was going to answer to the guy, she recognized him.

William Darcy. Tennis player, check. Top ten, check. Handsome, check. Arrogant…check.

It was payback time.

"Well, MR DARCY, I think you are too handsome for your own good, but you are an arrogant, overbearing young man. Too bad, isn't it?" said Lizzie grinning widely.

"Huh? Do I know you?"

"Perhaps, or perhaps not. You should not treat people like that; it is not polite you know? Courtesy moves the world," said Lizzie paying her ice cream and taking it.

Lizzie lowered her voice saying, "Because, you don't know when the tables will turn around."

Then, Lizzie yelled, "OH MY GOD! ARE YOU WILLIAM DARCY?!"

Suddenly everyone at the store went crazy and tried to get closer, asking for his autograph or a picture.

"Perhaps we will meet again, Mr. Darcy. Or not," winked Lizzie and left the shop. She had never done anything as rude as that, but she thought he deserved it.

He was obviously going to the party. But it was a huge party, after all. So, she was very sure she would not meet him tomorrow night.

Oh, how wrong she was.

**Author's note:** hello there! I have to apologize again for the delay, but I really had too much going on. You have no idea how much I appreciate your reviews, they were all very encouraging. I write because I love to, but it is really nice to see some of my work is liked. I am trying to reunite two of my greatest passions, which are tennis and P&P in this fanfic, so I apologize for the ones who are not into tennis.

On the other hand, if you guys are fans as I am, feel free to post your comments on which tennis player you would like to see here. I am open to suggestions, and I love them all, so this is your chance. I read a comment about a Djokovic fan, so get ready, he will be here sooner than you think ;)

And last, but not least, what do you think? Are there something special you want me to emphasize? As you can see, Charlotte and Jane are in the story. What do you think will happen? Just post a comment and let me know! Till we meet again.

Game, set match. Tennis girl.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 3

She didn't remember why she had agreed to go to this party. She was not excited to go. Not because she didn't like to have fun, but because she felt she didn't belong to this world anymore.

She started playing tennis when she was six. It was a little academy not far away from home, where she spent her summer vacations and she still remembers fondly. There, she received a racquet for the first time, because of a silly game to pass the time between her friends and teachers. She played after being taught for a while and she felt like she never had before. As soon as she got home, she told her parents she wanted to be a tennis player.

She went to lots of academies, had tons of trainers, and suddenly as she grew up, more people started to realize how good she was at this game. She began winning titles, going to parties, receiving awards and meeting people who thought they could teach her how to improve her game. Some even suggested she changed her character. That was when it happened.

She lost focus on who she really was, overwhelmed by all the pressure and forgetting why did she decide to get in this career on the first place. She loved the game! The excitement of going into court and doing her best not knowing what would happen at the end, the cheering crowd when she did something right, the smell of the grass or clay when she got into those courts after a long time, the ability to concentrate and fight for what you wish for. No matter what.

But if something you love gets you away from what you really are, then you have to ask yourself: Is it worth it? Some will say you have to let it go, that you changed and stopped loving and that consequently, you stopped caring.

Others, will say that all it takes to get back to your old self is to find a new love, not to replace the old one, but to guide you, motivate you and give you strength to believe again in what you used to have faith on. And that exactly, what was Lizzie was missing.

"LIZZIE! Caro is here! Are you coming anytime soon, or should I tell her to take a nap?"

There were times where she could not handle Charlotte's temper and unfortunately this was one of them. "I am coming Charlotte! Please do not die from a heart attack… again. You know how much I hate to wear black and I would not appreciate having to wear it at your funeral"

As Lizzie got into the living room she heard everyone laughing but the girl in question. " Elizabeth Bennet, what I do not 'appreciate' is you mocking me! I have every reason to be worried about tonight. Everything has to be perfect for you, Lizzie," said Charlotte.

"I am really thankful for your concern sweetie, but I don't think there is nothing much you can do for me tonight. I have to deal with the lions myself."

"Don't be so dramatic Lizzie! We just have to handle the photographers outside, answer one question or two and then the night is ours," said Caroline excitedly.

"Caro is right, Lizzie. Besides from the occasional photo, you should enjoy the party perfectly. It's the best way to start your tennis season this year, isn't it?"

"I agree. Let's forget about everything and enjoy the night!" clapped Lizzie, and her friends laughed.

"I really have to admit Charlotte and Jane did an amazing job with your look tonight, my friend. You look different, but amazing different."

Lizzie turned around to look in the mirror. She was wearing a deep red dress that hugged her curves perfectly, with an open back that showed her toned muscles and her gorgeous skin. Her side swept curls emphasized her vintage look and made her image a mysterious one; and her dark make up with red lipstick made her look dangerous. Yes, she was definitely having fun tonight.

"Before you go girls, I already coordinated with Caro´s agent when will the car pick you up." The minute after Charlotte said this, Caroline and Elizabeth started complaining.

"Charlotte, are you serious? I am going to kill Angie! I should have never introduced you guys! You keep planning stuff behind our backs. Do you think we are 5 years old or something?" said Caro, while Lizzie just stayed petrified looking at the craziness of the situation.

"Relax! I am not saying you will leave at midnight in your white carriage leaving a shoe behind, I just want to be sure you are safe when you want to get back to the hotel. Besides, Rory has called Angie at least a thousand times to make sure you are safe, Caroline."

"Aww, he is a little over protective, but he means well," said Caroline already texting his boyfriend.

"So, are you ready to go?" said Charlotte already calling the driver who was patiently waiting downstairs.

"Yes, we are ready 'MOM'. Let's leave now before you freak out or Rory comes here to lock Caroline in a tower," joked Lizzie looking over to Caro who was talking on the phone with a smile on her face.

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Melbourne nights were full of life and color, people on the streets going into bars and discos, laughing and having fun with friends and acquaintances. As Darcy looked out of the window he didn't register any of it, because some other thoughts were occupying his mind at that moment. Yes, he was still thinking about the beautiful stranger that bumped into him at the bay. He could help but look how her eyes lightened her face when she spoke, or how her curls framed her face in her messy bun, making her look even more adorable.

'Perhaps I was a bit rude,' he thought 'But she revealed my identity in a shop full of customers! Stop thinking about her! That is enough! She is just a crazy girl I will probably never see again'

"HEY DARCE!"

"Huh?"

"You are still thinking about the crazy runner, right?" Charlie said

"Absolutely not."

"Dude, I am your best friend, I know you are thinking about her. But forget it. She is probably an obsessed fan who bumped into you on purpose just to get you to fall in love with her or something. There have been plenty of your fans crazy enough to do that."

Darcy looked at his friend thinking, "You know, you are probably right. But for some reason I can't stop thinking about her. I think I know her from somewhere. Don't worry, it will pass."

"Good, and I know I am asking you a lot, but would you please try not to look so miserable when we get out of the car? I have an image I need to take care of, you know? And being your friend while you look like you are attending a funeral does not help at all," said Charlie exasperatedly.

"Don't worry Charles, I will not ruin your 'image'. I am perfectly aware that I need to look like I am tremendously excited about being there tonight. I have an image I need to take care of too. Besides, I don't think the girls you are trying to impress will care if you have a brooding friend or not. They already now you are the 'friendliest bachelor' there is on tour. "

"You know me, I think there are plenty of fish in the sea, and I like to take all the chances I got to get to know all these fish," winked Charlie and looked at the window. "We are almost there. Take a deep breath mate, it´s showtime."

As they where getting nearer, they could see all the cameras from the different channels waiting to get shots of the public favorite ones, as well as fans who where stopping by to see their idols in person. Sooner than later, the bright lights were all over them.

The car stopped in front of the Crown Towers and the door opened. And Darcy smiled.

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"CAROLINE LOOK OVER HERE!" "CARO!" "WHERE IS RORY?" "WHO IS YOUR GORGEOUS FRIEND?" "WHO ARE YOU WEARING?" "ARE YOU PLAYING DOUBLES HERE?"

Cameras flashed and questions were fired at them. A long time ago, when Lizzie was a junior and success has been laid all upon her, she knew how to handle this. Not anymore. Perhaps she could run away and let the younger Lizzie take care of everything.

She couldn't believe how Caro handled it so neatly and looked so relaxed in front of many cameras, but she tried her best to look like her. And apparently it worked because suddenly everyone was asking for her name and a picture. She stopped thinking and the time at the red carpet was over really soon. Charlotte and Angie asked both of them to get inside and it was time to enjoy the party. As soon as she entered the building she forgot about the media at all, but they couldn't forget the mysterious girl in red and they were already planning to find out who she was.

"You left them all speechless! I am sure they are already checking who you are and you will be in the papers tomorrow," said Caro "with me, of course."

Lizzie laughed at her friend's comment and Charlotte said, "Well ladies, now that my job is officially over, I'm going to get myself a drink. Please behave nicely; I don't want to be running around to get you out of trouble, specially not after Angie left me to take care of you too Caroline. See you later."

Caroline and Lizzie smiled strangely and said, "Don't worry Charlotte, we will behave like angels."

Just then, Lizzie had the time to look around the room. And it left her speechless. It was incredibly big that she could not see the end of and had an antique look about it, with big candles hanging from the ceiling giving the room an air of romanticism only seen in movies. The room was full of tables and at the center of them she could see a big dancing floor where hundreds of people where chatting on big groups. There was also a band getting ready to play and a huge bar where she could see Charlotte was heading up to.

"Can I get you a mask, Miss?"

Lizzie looked to her side and she saw a waiter carrying a couple of masks on a plate and waiting for her answer.

"I am sorry, what?"

A couple of tables away, she saw Caroline already picking up a silver mask, while she talked animatedly with what it seemed a friend of hers.

"It is a costume party, Miss. It is something new the planners decided to try this year. I think it is a very good idea, don't you?"

Lizzie picked a golden mask, put it on and said, "Yes, Indeed. This will be interesting"

Author's note: We are finally at the party! What do you think? Is anyone reading this? (lol joking). I appreciate the reviews I am getting; it makes my day to read them! For the ones that commented, Djokovic and Rafa will definitely be here… and Wickham's future still has an undecided future, but he will make an appearance sooner than I would like to.

If you like my story, please hit the review button! It only takes a minute


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: hello, I know this notes are boring so I'll just put the names: Tennis players Roger Federer and his wife Mirka, Novak Djokovic,( gf Jelena), Rafael Nadal and his gf Xisca, Andy Murray and his gf Kim and Grigor Dimitrov and Maria Sharapova as a couple; and Caroline Wozniacki ;). This chapter was written before Mirka gave birth, so sorry for that. And congratulations to the Federer family on the new twins! Welcome to the world Leo and Lenny!

Chapter 4

'Lydia would be delighted seeing all the fashion displayed by everyone here.' Lizzie thought as she looked around.

Elegance here was extremely overrated. Everyone wore fashion designer dresses and suits, as it was expected, but there was a magical touch in the room that made it even more special. It was like she had traveled to another time, where she was a different person, and if that meant she could relax at least for one night, she was definitely taking that chance. Oh! how she loved this year's party planners.

Masks can do powerful things. You can be whoever you want to be, talk about whatever you want to talk, and just be free. As long as you keep it on, of course. Once you remove it, that is another story. If you do, you should prepare for it, because sometimes what you find under it, is the most unexpected. Life changing, shocking, essential, even vital, but unexpected indeed.

"I can see you are enjoying yourselves," said Jane as she approached the table where Caroline and Lizzie were sitting. They were talking with a bunch of other players, some of them Lizzie knew and others she didn't, but once Caro introduced them, it was like they had been friends forever. They were already planning to get together on the weekend. Lizzie captivated everyone with her wit and easiness to be around people, and everyone was being so nice with her, she loved it.

"Excuse me, do we know you?" said Lizzie with a strange voice.

"Oh! Stop it Lizzie. If I remember correctly I picked your dress, Miss! Besides, I could recognize that smile anywhere."

Everyone laughed while Lizzie pouted. "Guys, this is my lovely sister Jane, who is a dearest to everyone, but loves to mock me."

Jane was properly introduced and she already knew some of the ladies, so she quickly joined the ongoing conversations.

" I am seriously doing a masquerade for my next birthday! This is an awesome idea!" said Caroline excitedly. "This is a signal, girls. We can do whatever we want, and 'flirt' with whoever we want and go unnoticed."

"C'mon Caro you could never flirt with anyone here. You are talking to your boyfriend every two minutes. I guess he is just worried that aliens get into the party and take you to Mars or something," joked Lizzie.

"At least you can move!" joked Mirka "I am seven months pregnant and I don't know if I am carrying a baby or an elephant."

"Or twins," joked Kim, making reference to Mirka's previous pregnancy with twin girls, and making everyone laugh once more.

And they talked and joked about their husbands, boyfriends, experiences and latest journeys; and Lizzie bonded. She felt a part of her belonged to this world, to these newest friends she had met, and for the first time in the night she felt she was destined to be where she was at the moment.

"I swear every time someone talks about marriage Andy runs away!" said Kim while the women where laughing so hard some of them were already crying.

"Soul sister! I bet Rafa runs faster. His mother keeps asking him for a wedding date and when she looks around, he is nowhere to be seen," said Xisca smiling widely. "At least Jelena is getting married soon. I just remembered we need to keep an eye on Novak tonight."

"Don't worry darling, he won't do a thing. Besides, he knows we are watching," laughed Mirka. "So Lizzie, have you found someone special yet?"

That question. The question. 'Finding someone special' meant someone to spend the night, a week or two, or a lifetime partner? Well for Lizzie, special meant, someone who could be her best friend, her companion for life, who could share with her those moments in life that you can not repeat, someone who she would look forward to seeing after the day was over, who would make her hear beat faster. A soul mate. And she hoped that person existed and that she would be lucky enough to find it one day.

Lizzie just looked at her and smiled, "Not yet. I guess not everyone is up to the challenge. I need someone who can match me in every way, not just to follow me around or worse, to boss me around."

"What you need right now is to find someone to have fun! Am I right?"

"Hello Maria, darling. Spectacular as always. And handsome Grigor has come to take care of you," teased Mirka.

"Hello guys, thank you for the compliment! This is all Jane's work. She is the perfect manager and I would die without her. I see you have met my Lizzie here. She is the best, isn't she?" Maria asked hugging everyone leaving Lizzie at last. "I've missed you," she whispered to Lizzie.

"A pleasure Lizzie," said Grigor Dimitrov kissing her hand, "Maria has told me so much about you. And Mirka, I will tell your husband you are flirting with me. If you excuse me, ladies." And he left to socialize.

"As I was saying, there will be plenty of time to look for your prince charming" Maria said looking at Lizzie, "but what you need tonight is to use this mask wisely and just enjoy. Let's dance!"

Some of the ladies stood up to go to the dancing floor alone or accompanied, when Caroline winked, "Talking about prince charming, I believe yours is coming this way, Mrs. Federer. And I must say you've picked really well."

Once again everyone laughed as Roger approached the table making Mirka blush. "He's just a bit overprotective. Don't worry Lizzie we will find you one as good as mine," she joked.

As Lizzie turned around to answer, something captured her attention. Or someone. It was a truly handsome man in a black tuxedo, and he was looking her way. And he had a gorgeous pair of blue eyes. What a coincidence it was. Or not.

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"And Mr. Overprotective comes back," joked Novak as Roger approached the table, where he was with a group of his fellow players, including Darcy.

"How is Mirka? Good, no?" asked Rafa with concern.

Just as Roger was about to answer, Darcy did, taking a sip of his drink, "Of course she is alright, just like she was 5 minutes ago. Besides, we can see her from here. If some pirates came in suddenly and tried to kidnap her, we would obviously see her."

Everyone laughed out loud while Darcy smiled a little.

"Shut up you all. I just can't help it. I need to know she is feeling good. Just as Darcy can't help having a disastrous mood every time he goes to a party," joked Roger while the others agreed.

"So, talking about the man in question," said Novak turning around, "What are your plans for tonight, Darce? Because you, my friend, are the only one without a proper date tonight."

Darcy was not listening anymore. This was happening to him quite often. And where did it all start? He was sure it was after that incident at the bay. But right now, the girl she bumped into could not be farther way from his thoughts. He could not stop staring at the girl in the red dress who was dancing on the other side of the room. She was outstandingly beautiful, and he was charmed by her.

"It seems our friend here has already found someone he likes," said Andy Murray looking at him and smiling widely.

"Don't be silly Murray, I was just admiring the view," lied Darcy and stood up to go to the bar where he spotted Charlie having a drink with a girl.

"What a liar. We need to help him loosen up a little for sure," said Rafael still laughing at Darcy's face when he was confronted earlier.

"We are doing something. And I think I have an idea," said Roger smiling widely.

"Whatever wicked thing you are thinking, I am in all the way," smiled Novak evilly as the others agreed.

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"Hello ladies, how are you this beautiful night?"

"Hi Novak, stop flirting already. You have a pregnant girlfriend waiting for you at home," said Maria rolling her eyes.

"Ok, we have a proposal for you. Darcy there, looks enchanted by your friend in red, but he seems a little reluctant to ask her to dance, so we know exactly the way we can help him to do so. He really wants to dance with that beauty, and he really seems quite taken with her, so I think it's a marvelous idea, don't you?"

Caroline and Maria looked at the boys skeptically, because they didn't know if that was a good idea. They knew Darcy pretty well, and he was a perfect gentleman and had never had any kind of trouble with them, but they thought he was not the kind of guy that Lizzie would like. It was not because he wasn't handsome, because oh boy! he was; it was because he had an air of superiority they still haven't figured it out. It was like he hadn't discovered something-or someone- to shake him up. And deep inside them, they hoped Lizzie would be the spark to wake him up. That was why the girls agreed.

"Ok, then. What do you guys plan to do?" asked Caroline excitedly.

"Jealousy, my dearest friend. That is exactly what we are doing. Darcy has always been a little possessive and now he is a bit tipsy, so I am quite sure Roger and Rafa will spice things up. When he sees us dancing with her, he will let his imagination take the wheel…Uhh, I am sure he will start thinking how great she looks and that he wished he would be the one dancing with her. And with the help of our friends there," he pointed to Rafa and Roger who were already laughing with Darcy, "he would definitely do it," explained Andy to the girls, who by the looks they were giving him, seemed to like the plan.

"What are you guys talking about?" said Lizzie returning to the table.

"Hey, Lizzie, I want to introduce you to my friends here. These are Novak Djokovic, and Andy Murray," said Maria.

"A pleasure, Lizzie. I was wondering if you could share a dance with me?" asked Novak. "I would be delighted to know more about the girl my friends talk so much about."

"Yeah, absolutely," smiled Lizzie, taking his hand to go to the dance floor.

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"I should have told him he looked like an annoying penguin," said Darcy laughing,

Roger and Rafa were laughing so much they could barely breathe. "You my friend, are hilarious when you are drunk," said Rafa taking a deep breath.

"Hey, matador, I am not that drunk. I am just a little happy about this party. I didn't know you could have so much fun around here," responded Darcy smiling again.

"I told you Rafa, Darcy is tremendously funny when he is not brooding over everything. I bet he even played better than all of us together if he was like this all the time," said Roger seriously.

And he was right. Darcy was not drunk. He just admitted he was at a party, spending some time with his friends, not playing tennis like he did all the time, and he was decided to make this night a pleasant memory.

"Are you seeing what I am seeing? It seems Novak has found someone to laugh at his jokes tonight," said Roger in an amused voice.

As Darcy turned around, he saw something he definitely didn't like. It was Novak dancing with the extremely beautiful girl on red! It was ridiculous! He was the one supposed to be dancing with her! And the worst thing was that he was making her laugh! This could not be possible. That was his punishment for not letting his emotions run the night.

"And now Andy is going to dance with her. She is really beautiful, for sure" said Rafa laughing out loud, as Darcy saw Andy guiding the girl to the dancing floor, and he gripped his glass harder, making his knuckles white from the pressure.

"I don't know really who she is, she has the mask on" answered Roger still thinking, "but that doesn't matter right now. What it matters, is to know why is Darcy about to break his glass with his hand. What is wrong Darce?"

"I don't know why are Novak and Andy dancing with her. They are either engaged or have a girlfriend at the party at the moment! I think that is extremely disrespectful," said Darcy in an angry voice.

"I totally agree with you, my friend. Why don't you go over there and ask her yourself? You are alone, and it should help them realize they probably need to stay away," said Roger seriously and Rafa agreed.

"That is a great idea. I am doing that right now," said Darcy leaving his glass behind and walking confidently to the dance floor where Andy was dancing with Lizzie.

"I told you we should play doubles. We make a good team. Mission accomplished." said Rafa while Roger laughed and toasted with him.

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"May I have the next dance with you?" said Darcy taking Lizzie's hand after the dance with Andy.

"Uhm…yeah of course mate," said Andy "A pleasure meeting you, Lizzie."

Lizzie was so in shock she just let this handsome guy led her to the dance floor without uttering a single word. Darcy mistook her silence for shyness, so he felt even more confident than he already did, and started talking.

"So, Lizzie is your name, right?"

"I am Elizabeth. Only my friends call me Lizzie," she said after recovering and answered rather angrily.

"So Andy Murray is your friend now? You just met the guy!" said Darcy not understanding why she was so angry with him and he did not like not being liked. He was used to receiving compliments all the time, and being praised about his accomplishments. He was absolutely not used to being treated so icily.

"But he is very nice and completely polite. That was very rude what you did, you know? You didn't even wait for me to answer if I wanted to dance with you or not!"

"Huh? I am sorry, I didn't know think you would be so upset to dance with me seeing you have danced with people you met two seconds ago," said Darcy losing his patience. He didn't know why he was behaving like that, but he couldn't help but to be upset when he remembered the dances she shared earlier in the evening.

"If you excuse me, I think I am going to go," said Lizzie coldly.

Darcy panicked. He didn't want her to leave after what it took to ask her to dance on the first place. So he took her hand and brought her closer to his body. He whispered, "Please don't go, let's talk about something else." And for some reason Lizzie felt she couldn't stay away, so she nodded.

"I heard you are friends with Maria and Caroline. How did you meet?" said Darcy searching for a topic to talk about.

"Yes, we have been friends for years. I am very fond of them both, and we see each other often," answered Lizzie, not wanting to reveal her identity to this stranger she couldn't figure out yet.

"I see… You should be following the tennis tour really closely if you do spend a lot of time with them, because they travel quite often"

"You can say it like that," said Lizzie uncomfortably. She felt out of breath with him around, like she was in some sort of spell. Because she didn't like his attitude at all, the way he behaved like everything should be done his way, but she didn't have the strength to tell him so, and she didn't like that.

"I need to get some fresh air. Thank you for the dance," said Lizzie distractedly walking towards the French doors at the end of the room and to the garden. And Darcy followed.

The garden was beautifully decorated with lights around a pathway that illuminated the roses around it with the help of the starry night.

"Beautiful night isn't it?" said Darcy walking towards her.

"What are you doing here? I told you I needed fresh air. I would appreciate if you leave me alone"

"I need you to tell me who you are first. I would like to take you on a date or something," said Darcy determinately, "Here, I got an idea. We remove our masks and introduce ourselves first, and then you tell me where would you like to go on our date."

Lizzie looked at him not believing what he was saying. "Oh! And there he goes again. I haven't answered if I would like to go on a date with you! Why are you so confident about it?"

Darcy looked at her and smiled in such an irresistible way that for a moment Lizzie thought she was going to lose her resolve. Until he talked. "Because who would say no to me? Let's be realistic here. I am quite a catch." And he removed his mask.

"YOU?! OH! THAT EXPLAINS SO MANY THINGS!" yelled Lizzie not believing what she was seeing. It was William Darcy. The cocky, arrogant bastard she had met at the bay and who had obviously not realized he had met her before. She could believe it, but she still didn't understand why she felt that way around him.

"I am William Darcy, nice to meet you. I can see you recognize me, well, it's quite impossible not to. I can bet you are reconsidering my offer on the date."

Lizzie narrowed her eyes. "I know perfectly who you are, Mr. Darcy. And the answer to your question would be 'Thanks, but no thanks'. Besides, I think we have met before, and that is an experience I would not like to repeat."

"You do are stubborn. I am sure I haven't seen you before. You see, I would never be able to forget your eyes," said Darcy coming closer.

Lizzie couldn't think anymore. It was as if the world had stopped, just creating a space for both of them. She could only see his eyes, now the darkest blue, and wished he would come closer and take her in his arms.

And in these nights where there are so many stars to wish upon to, wishes do come true. Even the ones you were not waiting for.

He kissed her.

It was complete bliss. They both felt like they had never kissed anyone before, like the past had been erased and they were resurging to a new life full of color and brightness. The way they belonged to each other was so perfect, they didn't see or hear anything around them, which was completely unfortunate at that moment, seeing as they were now on a very prestigious party.

When they separated, their foreheads touched and Darcy whispered, "Wow. Please you need tell me who you are. I cannot let you walk away without doing so."

FLASH! FLASH! FLASH!

"WILLIAM DARCY! OVER HERE! WHO IS SHE? IS SHE YOUR GILFRIEND? WHY HAVEN'T YOU INTRODUCED HER? IS SHE MARRIED? DO YOU USE THIS PARTIES TO FIND NEW GIRLS?" "TAKE YOUR MASK OFF DARLING!"

Suddenly a bunch of paparazzi where coming out of the bushes, and they could not stop taking pictures at them while they tried to hide their faces from the flashes.

Lizzie didn't know what to do. She knew she had screwed up for good this time. Not only she had danced with William Darcy in a party where everyone knew him, but also she had kissed him on the garden of the same party! Talking about scandals. Yes, Charlotte was definitely going to kill her. So, she did the bravest thing a girl in her position would do. She ran back inside as fast as she could, leaving Darcy outside to deal with the excited crowd.

When she entered the room, she met Caroline, who was looking for her. "Lizzie, where have you been? It's kind of late, would you mind if we go? I have to train tomorrow morning. The car is already waiting."

"Yes, sure, let's go," said Lizzie distractedly; looking how some people were already noticing the photographers outside and security were taking care of them, as well as guiding the media out of the private grounds.

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"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU JUST KISSED HER?" yelled Darcy's manager John looking at him angrily.

"Yeah, I thought we were alone. I didn't see or hear anyone when we were outside."

"Well, we have to fix this immediately! Do you know what this could do to your image? You show up alone, no date, and suddenly you are kissing a girl in a secluded garden at an official party! Not good, Darce. You know how media can be dangerous. The worst thing about it is that they haven't figure out who she yet! She is a mystery girl with no history, so that means paparazzi can use their imagination saying all kinds of lies about your 'romance'. I heard they were already asking if one of the reasons you haven't introduced her officially was because she was married! IS SHE MARRIED?"

"No! Uhmm… I don't know," said Darcy, 'I hope not', he thought.

"Look William, we need to find this girl and fix this mess. Do you have any idea where to locate her?"

Darcy remembered she was Caroline and Maria's friend, "I think I may know how to find her."

So much for pleasant memories. This was just beginning.

A/N: hello guys! As always thanks to the ones who review my story. It means a lot to me! So, did you like it? What do you think will happen? I'm sorry for the Cinderella like style but it is part of the story.

A cookie for a review ;)! lol kidding… as usual, feedback is appreciated!

Until next time

Game, set and match. Tennis girl


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:** hello guys! Sorry for the delay, but I've been terribly busy. Just a little heads up: tennis fans probably know this but for the rest who don't, the female tennis player Caroline Wozniacki just ended her relationship with the golfer Rory Milroy. So, he won't be mentioned here again because that is not the purpose of this story. Caro won't disappear because she is Lizzie's friend and she rocks! That's all. Enjoy!

Chapter 5

Daylight broke into the room through the white curtains. The white sky and the birds singing over the sea made it look that peaceful, one might think there was nothing that could destroy this quietness and relaxation. Lizzie slowly opened her eyes and inhaled that scent of roses that surrounded the room, and slowly smiled. What could disturb the happiness of waking up like this? Then, she remembered.

The party, the kiss, the cameras. She still could not believe that had happened. The first thing she thought about was the kiss. The exhilarating, breathtaking, amazing kiss good enough to make her forget all the kisses she had experienced before. For a moment she almost forgot Darcy was the one who gave her that kiss and she dreamt about kissing him again. And then running away was the worst part of the night. 'Those paparazzi ruined everything!' she thought, 'I didn't have the opportunity to slap him!' "How dare he kiss me like that?" Lizzie said angrily.

"Oh! Don't complain too much! I bet you loved it!" said Caro breaking into the room. After the disaster that followed the party, Lizzie stayed at Caro's room and told her friend everything about Mr. Darcy and their encounters. Later, she called Jane to do the same thing, she needed her sister's reassuring ways to make every situation look better than it actually was.

"I loved the kiss, I HATE him!"

"Well dear, you will have to rediscover your feelings for him," said Caroline suggestively but after seeing Lizzie's killer look, she changed her mind, "or at least be civilized around him, because after last night I am sure you will have to see him again."

"Arghhhhh! I can't believe I did something that stupid! The guy takes me to the dance floor rudely, asks me to stay and I do, follows me to the garden and after I knew he was Darcy I should have run away instead of kissing him!"

"It is not your fault Lizzie, you just did what you felt at the moment. I don't blame you at all, If I had found a handsome man like yours following me like that, I would not have been able to resist him either," joked Caroline.

Lizzie rolled her eyes and whined sarcastically, "But you know how much I 'love' the media and being the best news on tour, I think I even outshined Maria and that is definitely saying something," walking to the living room where Caroline was on her way to the door.

Maria got in excitedly with a bunch of magazines and a coffee from the shop two blocks away. "I couldn't wait any longer to tell you guys this! I was having breakfast with Grigor on a coffee shop not far away from here, when I saw these magazines on the stand that just had arrived this morning! I bought as many as we could carry! So, Miss Elizabeth, before you start explaining, let me tell you one thing: You will probably have to hide from the paparazzi a little bit more from now on."

The horror on Lizzie's face could not be described. She took a bunch of those magazines and started flipping through the pages with her mouth hanging open. Some of them, at least the tennis ones, had the kiss on the cover with headlines like "Cinderella wakes up the DARCY prince", where she assumed they still hadn't figure out who she was, and others like "ELIZABETH AND WILLIAM: NOT A PRIDE AND PREJUDICE STORY", where they had already discovered her name and probably even her favorite toy when she was five. There were others a little bit less dramatic, where it pointed "New tennis couple", and highlighted the awesome fashion displayed by Lizzie the previous evening.

After Lizzie told Maria the complete story, she was even more relieved than before. It was not a disaster like she has stated it before, was it? They had just made a mistake and she was sure Darcy would be eager to sort it out and tell the media the truth.

"I am exhausted! I think I am going to lay down for a bit," said Lizzie

Jane came in that exact moment and exclaimed "Not so fast young lady! You are not escaping anywhere. I know you, and you are probably thinking hundreds of ways to escape through the window while we wait here for you to finish your nap. The question here is, what is the next step?"

"I believe the wisest thing will be telling Charlotte. She will know how to handle this situation."

Someone banged at the door. "ELIZABETH BENNET! I SWEAR… OPEN THE DOOR I WILL…" the door muffled the sounds coming from the hallway.

Caroline got up quickly heading towards the door, "I am guessing she already knows"

Elizabeth groaned and sat on the couch covering her face with a pillow.

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"I can bet you haven't seen the magazines yet," said Charles Bingley entering Darcy's room as he was having breakfast still in his boxers and watching a rerun of the Godfather.

"I don't want to. I am afraid of what I will find, and I am sure John will come here to yell at me for an hour or two after he sees them."

"Well, at least you kissed the girl, I spent all my evening chasing a blonde angel that didn't even care enough to look at me, and when she did it was just to point me where the exit was," said Charlie brooding.

"That explains why I didn't see you all night! What I do find strange, is that you didn't forget about this girl in a second and spent your evening with another victim."

Charlie said exasperatedly, "I don't know man, don't ask me stuff like that."

John let himself into the room carrying a couple of magazines and a newspaper and sat on the sofa. He didn't yell or curse like he had done last night, which was even more menacing.

"So Darcy, this is what we are doing right now. We are going to find this girl, wherever she is to have a little chat. Last night you told me you knew where to find her, so I don't care if we have to search for her a rock but we are finding her."

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"Oh Lizzie! You are going to drag me to an early grave! You don't know how many stories I've already read about this 'secret romance' between you and the Darcy fellow. According to the media, you are probably married and have a child hiding on a closet."

"Oh! And let's not forget about the one where it says Lizzie's married and Darcy is her fling because she is bored with her husband," said Caroline pointing to her laptop screen, "This one is pretty creative."

"Don't worry guys, you are really making it look worse than it is, I am sure the media will pick up a different story when someone famous gets drunk at a club or married in Vegas and that stuff happens every week. I don't think I will ever choose to be a paparazzi, I mean, standing all day outside hotels and restaurants, poor guys," said Jane looking out of the window where it seemed to be an excited crowd of photographers gathering around the entrance door.

"I agree with you about the paparazzi thing Jane, what I do not agree about is that they will easily forget about the kiss. Specially not when Darcy is coming to this hotel," said Maria pointing to a group of men getting out of the car where Darcy could be seen walking towards the front door.

"WHAT? WHAT IS HE DOING HERE?" said Lizzie running to the window to see what her friends were pointing.

"Get ready Lizzie, I can bet my soul he is coming for you," said Charlotte, getting professional.

Lizzie ran to her room and shut the door.

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Darcy got into the elevator with John looking as serious as ever. He still didn't know how he could convince the manager to give him the number of Caroline Wozniacki's room at a time where paparazzi where everywhere he looked and could have heard it. But he was facing an even more difficult task; he now had to convince Caroline that he needed to talk to the beauty he had danced last night, and to make a formal statement that explained the media the mistake he got into.

Yes, he still called her 'beauty'. Because he didn't matter the trouble he started when he got up from his seat at the bar to ask her, or force her, to dance with him; he couldn't stop thinking about the way her eyes sparkled with the moonlight and her perfume smell when she came closer, and over all those things; the kiss. So absorbed he was in these thoughts, he had not talked about how he was going to fix this problem, and he didn't know that his manager had totally different plans than the obvious ones.

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Someone knocked at Caroline's hotel suite, and inside the silence was absolute that you could have heard a pin drop.

"Caroline, its me William Darcy, I need to have a word with you, please open the door, I know you are there."

Jane opened the door to let the two man in. "Good morning William, what brings you here this lovely morning?" said Maria innocently.

Darcy rolled his eyes and said, "I swear Maria, you are spending way too much time with Novak. I think you all know exactly why I am here."

"Yes, we do. I think we should be going Maria; we have plenty of things to do today. We'll call you later Caro," said Jane getting out of the room with Maria already on the phone.

"Well William, I am all ears," said Caroline sitting on the couch and looking at the men.

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Charlotte and Lizzie talked in hushed tunes in the bedroom, afraid of being heard. "I can believe this is happening to me. I knew I didn't have to go to that party."

"Lizzie everything will be alright! I am sure he just wants to fix this issue as soon as possible. There is nasty gossip about him too," said Charlotte calming her friend.

"But Charlotte, I don't want to see him, he doesn't even know the girl at the bay and me are the same one! When he sees me, he will probably freak out and things will get worse."

"Lizzie, stop worrying too much. This is not the Lizzie I know! Elizabeth Bennet is a strong and independent woman who fights for her dreams and beliefs no matter what, and is not afraid of anyone or anything, much less a cocky guy! And if my friend were here, she would stand up from the floor and go to the living room to show this Darcy guy who she is!"

Charlotte was right. She was behaving like a ghost of herself. She didn't care what Darcy thought about her. He had also made a mistake and he had to help her fix it! She would go out and handle this scandal as quickly as possible. The sooner she got rid of him, the better chance he had of escaping the slap she still wanted to give him.

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Darcy tried for the tenth time. "Please Caroline, I need to talk to your friend. It would be better for both of us if we decide how to deal with the gossip together than face the media by ourselves."

"I already told you William I need to ask her first if she wants me to reveal her identity to you! She is not very pleased about how you behaved last night," said Caroline calmly.

"I can imagine that and I am ready to make amends to that beauty. Her name is Elizabeth, right?"

The door from the bedroom opened and a voice behind Darcy spoke. "Elizabeth Bennet for you, Mr Darcy. So, you think I am a 'beauty' and want to apologize?"

Darcy turned around and froze. It was the girl from the bay. He had behaved like a jerk with this girl. Yes, she was the same one.

"So, we meet again," said Lizzie with her arms crossed and smiled.

**A/N: **So? Did you like it? What do you think will happen? Do you want to ask me sth about the story? I NEED A BETA IF ANYONE CAN HELP ME LET ME KNOW!

I want to thank cutelilmochi , love pj , kmart92 , dizzy lizzy.60 , whosepride and klarita1 for your reviews! Thank you guys from the bottom of my heart. Your reviews make my laugh and are just what I was hoping for.

I will thank the others as the story progresses, these girls are the first ones who reviewed and I thought it was fair if I thanked them first. To the ones I haven't thanked yet, let me tell you your reviews make my day and I cant thank you enough. They are all extremely important to me

As always feedback is appreciated!

Until next time. Game, set, match. Tennis girl


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N:** Hello guys! I have some news for you, but first I will let you enjoy the chapter.

Have you ever wondered how does karma work? You behave well, you get a reward. You work hard, good things usually favor you. Of course it is not perfect, but most of the time you get just what you are destined to, according to your previous actions. And, obviously, karma also works the other way around. You behave badly, things start to fall apart. You screw up; you have to handle the consequences. So, following this rule, if you are a jerk that means people are allowed to treat you the same way. Unless you fall in love with that "jerk". This is not the case, at least not yet. But let's keep that door open, shall we?

"YOU!" yelled Darcy, coming closer to Lizzie and looking at her quite unbelievingly, "This is not possible."

"Well, this is enough drama for me today and I believe you need to talk this out and come up with a solution. Besides I have a photo-shoot in 30 minutes, so I will be going. See you later guys!" said Caroline and she hugged Lizzie and whispered, "Please don't kill him, he's too cute to waste," before she exited the room.

"Were you trying to mock me? You bumped into me at the bay on purpose, didn't you? This was all a wicked plan of yours to get publicity!" said Darcy walking around the room.

"What?! Are you listening to yourself Darcy? I would never do that! It is obvious you don't know me at all. Besides, it was you who kissed me last night, remember?"

"Look guys, this is not going anywhere. You need to calm down so we can talk about this situation. The longer the wait, the worse the gossip," said John trying to soothe the tension at the moment.

Lizzie thought the man had a point. She didn't want to be involved in anymore gossip than she already was. She knew this was going to be as difficult as it got to explain to the press, but she trusted on Charlotte to come up with a sensible statement that would end this torture so she could get back to her normal life.

"Darcy, he is right. I don't want think that the best thing to do right now is to keep screaming until one of us get tired. The least we want to do is to create more gossip right now. Why don't we talk about our next step and decide what is best for both of us?" Lizzie offered.

Darcy gave her a haughty look and made a gesture for her to sit first so they could start with the meeting.

Charlotte said, "What I think we should do first is to get on the same page. I think we have all heard the story of what happened last night, but I believe it's important if you tell us everything that has happened between you. How did you meet before that? And what exactly did you do last night?"

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Three hours later, stories told, calls made and insults given, they were still sitting on that hotel suite deciding what to do with the problem at hand.

"I don't see how are we going to get them out of this mess without compromising their images," said Charlotte sitting tiredly on the couch for the tenth time in an hour.

"I've had an idea since this morning but when I got here and saw them Darcy and Elizabeth together, I erased it from my mind completely," said John looking at Darcy and Lizzie fighting on the kitchen while making some coffee.

"Why haven't you told me before? You know we are probably not finding anything that will save them from "disgrace", so if you think there is any chance that will not happen, we have to take it," said Charlotte seriously.

"I think my idea is brilliant, but I don't know how they will handle it."

"If this is the answer we are looking for, they will have to deal with it. Now tell me about it."

John got closer, "You see, what I thought about is…"

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Meanwhile, the fight was already over, and Lizzie and Darcy sat on two opposite sides of the kitchen trying to ignore each other.

"I hope I get out of this as soon as possible," whispered Lizzie not realizing that she had talked out loud.

"Are you sure you want to get out of this? I think this is exactly what you were hoping for. To trick me into kissing you so you could get more attention. You are not even in the top 100."

"You are an idiot Darcy! I swear I have to gather all my strength not to kill you right now. I know I am not in the top 100, but I don't need those tricks you are talking about to get the media to talk about me. I will keep improving my game and working harder everyday. I would never change the way I am to be more famous as you point it out."

Her answer left Darcy speechless. He thought the moment he made that remark that she would try to come up with an excuse that will explain her behavior or that she would stay silent. He never imagined she would be so passionate about her beliefs and that she was able to stay true to her character even in front of a stranger who was behaving quite badly, even in his opinion. He knew he was not being a gentleman as he was used to, but this girl was not the typical one who swooned just by his mere presence. She had this conviction and strength and her eyes shone whenever she talked, that he could not stop looking. Indeed, she was quite fetching.

'Stop looking at her like that Darcy!' he thought, she is just a spoiled brat who planned this whole thing to be on every magazine like it has happened to you before.'

And it had happened to him before. The moment he climbed higher on the ranking, girls started to claim his attention even more than before. At first, he thought he could have a great time, but as the years passed he realized not one of these girls wanted any of the things he hoped to find in a woman. They were just interested on his fame, and he was sure the moment he didn't have it anymore, any of them would go away as soon as they appeared.

"I don't believe you," said Darcy coldly.

"I don't care what you think. Besides, I still can't erase that horrible kiss from my mind. I bet it will haunt me forever with the most horrendous nightmares," lied Lizzie.

"Horrible huh? You are definitely crazy if you think that," smiled Darcy as he got closer, "Since you are betting, I bet you loved it and can't stop thinking about how good it was," said Darcy, and he secretly hoped she would be feeling that because that was exactly what he had felt.

They were so close she was sure that if she didn't do something he would kiss her again. 'Do I want him to kiss me again?', she thought, ' Yes of course I do! But he has been an ass, and he is probably doing just to mock me afterwards! I need to do something!'

And she did the first thing she could think of. She threw her coffee on his face.

"WHAT THE HELL?! ELIZABETH!"

"That was for trying to kiss me. Oh! And for calling me crazy again. You now have a reason to do so, " giggled Lizzie and left the room.

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"So, what's up guys? Have you found anything yet?" asked Lizzie sitting on the couch smiling.

"Yes Lizzie, I think we have. We need to talk to you both. Where is Darcy?"

At this moment, Darcy came out of the bathroom with a towel at hand and a stained shirt with coffee. If looks could kill, Lizzie could be dead by now.

"What happened to you Darcy?" said John and Charlotte trying to hide their smiles.

"Darcy, dear, if you wanted to swim in coffee, you could have let me know. I would have called room service to ask for more," said Lizzie sweetly while Darcy looked at her trying not to kill her.

"Let's not waste more time, then. What we are going to tell you is the only way out of this issue and we need you to be as open-minded and calm as possible. You need to understand that there is not other way to handle this without your images being stained," said John seriously.

"So what we are going to do is to lie about your relationship. You will have to pretend to be dating for a while until this thing is forgotten," said Charlotte preparing for the worst.

There was silence in the room. The shock was so much that neither Darcy nor Lizzie talked for a while.

"I beg your pardon Charlotte. I believe I misheard you. I heard we had to pretend to be boyfriend and girlfriend," said Darcy laughing.

"You didn't mishear a thing, Darce. That was exactly what Charlotte said."

"NO, NO, NO! That will not happen! NOT NOW, NOT EVER!" yelled Lizzie freaking out.

"For the first time ever, I agree with Elizabeth. I will not pretend such a thing," said Darcy trying to calm down.

"Well then, let the media keep talking. They will probably keep talking about the "home wrecker" Darcy and the "whore" Elizabeth. And I can assure you they will not care how many matches you will win, they will never care about that as much as they will about your personal lives!" said John losing his patience.

"Guys, you need to do this. We are not trying to make your lives miserable; we just want to do what we think its best. I know you love tennis, and want to be recognized for your work on court, not the scandals out of it. And I can assure you if you play your part well, the press will soon get bored of you guys and move on. And you will be able to do it too, " said Charlotte.

Darcy sighed and looked at John, "I trust you mate. If you think that is the only way out I am going to try. How long do you think we have to keep this going?"

"I don't know. We will have to see how the media reacts. The thing is you will also have to convince your friends on the tour your romance is real. No one besides Caroline, Maria, Jane and Charlie needs to know the truth. If someone finds out, this could turn into a disaster."

Lizzie talked for the first time in ages, "How are we going to convince so many people that we are in love if we can barely stand being in the same room?"

Charlotte answered, "You will have to try harder. See all those "crappy romance movies" as Jane calls them that you like so much? Well, John and I are going to create a romance fairytale for you guys just like one of those. You just have to step into it. Get into character. And act"

Acting. She could handle that. She could see this like game where pretending was the only way to win. It didn't mean that she had to like Darcy, or behave well around him when no one was looking.

"Okay, Darcy. I'm in. Are you?" said Lizzie extending her hand.

"It's acting. How hard can it be?" Darcy shook her hand.

He had no idea.

**A/N:** hello there! Did you like it? What do you think?

I am a bit sad actually. I know some of you like my story, but I don't know if it is worth it to keep posting. Don't get me wrong, I write because I like it, but I keep posting it because I want to share my work with you. I don't think I am very good, but if it brings you a little happiness or at least a laugh, I am satisfied. I would really love to know what you think about it though.

For the ones who keep posting your reviews, I love you! Thank you so much you make me so happy! Bookobsessive816, Llamalover15, katiecav, you made my day brighter.

I also need to find a beta. It is extremely important or I will have trouble posting soon. I've tried to look for one but I haven't found one yet.

Ps: Whosepride I agree with you, I am sure being famous is exhausting; and Dizzy lizzy.60, you were right ;)

Until next time, game, set, match Tennis girl.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 7

LOVE. Being in love. Loving someone. Not like a friend or a relative but as something else. Surely that should be difficult. But I guess if you do find it, and embrace the feeling, it is extremely easy to let go and show your love to the world. The problem is when you do not feel it. Could something so pure as love be faked? That was Lizzie's question.

"I can assure you Lizzie, John and I have everything under control. You and Darcy just have to play the part we have created for you," said Charlotte trying to reassure Lizzie she had nothing to worry about.

"Yeah, exactly. Playing the part is the problem. I still don't know how I am going to pretend I am crazy in love with a guy I can barely stand."

"Acting, Lizzie. Just repeat 'I am in love with William Darcy' enough times to make you believe it. C'mon we need to go. We still need to go over your makeup and clothing. We also have one more meeting with the guys before the press conference."

Lizzie groaned and walked out of the room after Charlotte.

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Walking into the room dressed in a blue shirt and black trousers Darcy asked sarcastically, "Is this ok to please the press?"

John looked at him and said in a teasing voice, "I think your stylist needs a raise. She could not do a better job transforming the monster into a prince."

Darcy joked, "Please John, I am too good to be true. It is not a real effort to dress me up."

'Not bad Darcy, not bad,' thought Lizzie entering the suite after Charlotte. When everyone, including Darcy, turned around to look at her, she realized she had spoken out loud.

"Now you just need a personality makeover to go with those looks," said Lizzie, trying to fix her previous outburst.

The thing was, he really looked devastatingly handsome. He was aware of that fact which was one of the things Lizzie didn't like about him. She knew he could leave her speechless if he used his charm against her. But one of the things she had realized in the short meetings they had, is that he didn't laugh or smile very often; and when he did, it didn't look very real. Because of her personality, she thought she had the ability to recognize when someone was behaving naturally around her. And yet, she couldn't figure out Darcy yet. And since she had met him, she always wondered how would he look if he really smiled. A dangerous theory to test, for sure.

"Perhaps you should help me with that," said Darcy giving her one of his rehearsed smiles.

Lizzie sat on the couch barely looking at him. In a falsely sweet voice she replied, "Sorry LOVE, not interested."

John heard the endearment used and, choosing to ignore the way Lizzie used it said, "You are already getting into character, that is good. Now, let's go over your story one last time before going downstairs."

"Don't worry guys. We already know it by heart. Don't we Darcy?"

But he was not listening anymore. Since she had walked into the room, he couldn't stop staring. She looked so natural, and yet, so beautiful at the same time. She wore a flowered dress and high heels. Her loose curls cascaded down her back and framed her face. She wore just a touch of makeup. Was she a princess, a fairy or an angel? He could not care less; overwhelmed with a feeling of never wanting to hurt her in any possible way. Then he remembered the mess they were in, and their first meeting. He still couldn't believe she hadn't planned this scandal. That thought made him return to the real world and stop thinking of fairies and angels.

"Huh? YEAH, SURE, whatever you say DARLING," said Darcy clearly annoyed.

"See?" Lizzie winked and walked to the door. Darcy followed after her, leaving both managers behind.

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"Elizabeth wait for your boyfriend, SWEETHEART," said Darcy mockingly catching up to her.

"What do you want Darcy?" Lizzie walked even faster.

Darcy had to jog to keep up with her. "Can you just wait for a minute?!" He stopped her and turned her around. "Look, I know you hate me, and I don't like you very much either, but we need to do this for the sake of our future in tennis. I couldn't care less about your career, but I care about mine. So we need to work together and behave like a perfect couple if we are going to pull this off. Got it?"

They were inches away from each other, but this scenario couldn't be farther away from a romantic one. "You are an asshole"

"Thank you Elizabeth, I love you too."

Suddenly John and Charlotte appeared and they broke apart. "So guys, are you ready? The press is ready when you are."

Darcy looked at Lizzie and took her hand, "Let's get this over with."

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They sat behind a table holding hands as photographers took thousands of pics. He waited until she sat to sit beside her, not before kissing her forehead in a loving way. She closed her eyes and smiled. Charlotte and John looked at each other pleasingly. This was starting well.

John walked to the podium. "Good afternoon, ladies and gentleman. As you all know, my client William Darcy and Miss Elizabeth Bennet have been object of gossip these last couple of days, all of which is completely untrue and quite offensive. That is why we are here today. Mr. Darcy would like to make an statement, and then he will answer some questions."

Darcy took the microphone and in a very serious voice, began telling the rehearsed tale, "A couple of days ago, at a players party here in Australia, I was photographed with Miss Bennet during a personal moment of our lives. I consider it quite a violation of privacy; but even more offensive was what happened next. The stories about us were nothing short of blasphemous. We appeared in almost every magazine possible. Being part of such a tremendous amount of gossip - it is shameful to recall. Miss Bennet and I have been in a serious relationship for some time now, and we were horrified when we found out what the media was saying about us. We decided not to tell the press when we first started dating, in order to keep things more natural and private. We are very happy and we don't think it is reasonable to hide it any longer; even less now that things are getting out of control. We would like to ask you to stop spreading lies about us, such as rumors that we are married or having an affair. We would be happy to answer any questions you have within the boundaries of respect and propriety. We would also be really thankful if you could respect our relationship as much as possible. That's all. Thank you very much."

Lizzie was impressed. He didn't hesitate, not for a minute, and he told the story as convincingly as it could be told. When he finished, he gave her such a loving look, that for a moment she thought he loved her for real. And he was still holding her hand, sweetly and comfortingly. 'Wow, Darcy, perhaps you made a mistake choosing tennis. You could have an Academy Award by now if you had chosen acting', thought Lizzie.

The moment Darcy stopped talking, reporters went crazy and started firing questions at the couple. Lizzie got a little scared, as she was not used to this kind of attention since she was younger. Darcy saw her discomfort and squeezed her hand a bit harder.

John took the lead again, "Your attention, please. Mr. Darcy and Miss Bennet will answer some of your questions now." And the real test started.

"Mr. Darcy, how did you two meet?"

Darcy laughed and said, " We met at a friend's party more than 9 months ago. As you probably know by now, we have some friends in common, like Caroline Wozniacki and Maria Sharapova. Actually Caroline, Maria, and my coach Charles Bingley are the only ones on tour who knew about our relationship."

"Do you think they will be surprised?"

"I believe so. But I am sure they will also say it was about time I got a girlfriend. I can already hear the jokes they will be telling once they see this on the news," joked Darcy.

"Here, Mr. Darcy. How did you manage to keep it a secret for such a long time?"

"We were really careful, I guess. We did have time to spend together when we traveled to the big tournaments, and when the year was over we had even more time to enjoy as a couple."

"For both of you, how do you think this will affect your professional career?"

Lizzie was the first one to answer; "I don't see how being in love can affect negatively on my career. I am very happy right now as you can see, and I hope that reflects on the court, in this tournament, and the ones to come."

Without knowing it, Lizzie had said the magic word capable of creating chaos. LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. It echoed in Darcy's mind so much that he had to make an effort to focus and answer the question at hand.

"I completely agree with Elizabeth. I am very focused on my career and I think this newfound happiness will keep improving my game instead of being bad for it. I also believe when you work for what you want, you can conquer anything, no matter how hard it is."

"Here, thank you. I can see you both are very much in love, as you have stated before. Do you think you can give us a little proof of what you are talking about?"

Before Lizzie had the chance to answer, Darcy took her face with his hands and gave her a brief kiss. They forgot everything for a moment, until they heard an "AWW" from the crowd and the cameras flashing.

Lizzie stood up, smiled and left the room. Darcy followed while reporters continued asking questions including, "Are there any wedding plans?" "Mr. Darcy, have you met Miss Bennet's parents?"

The last thing Lizzie heard before going out of the room was, "No more questions, please. We thank you for coming…" Then she ran to her room.

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When she arrived at her suite, Darcy appeared before she could close the door. "Hey! Why did you run like that?"

She came closer and slapped him.

"WHAT WAS THAT FOR?" said Darcy touching his cheek.

"That was what I wanted to do since I met you and you kissed me for the first time. You had no right to do it again."

"I just thought it was a good idea. I was giving them what they asked for."

"Well, don't do it again or I will kick your ass next time."

"Don't worry I won't. Or perhaps I will," winked Darcy.

"ARGHHHHH! You are so infuriating! I hate you!" said Lizzie pointing her finger at him.

In a smooth movement, Darcy took her by the waist and whispered on her ear, "You have no idea how much I hate you too." And he left.

You know what they say: there is a fine line between love and hate. And I believe here, this line is almost non-existent, don't you think?

**A/N: **hello again! So, What do you think? Do you like it so far? What are your thoughts about Darcy and Lizzie's relationship? Don't worry, romance will start soon, and Lizzie will realize Darcy is not as bad as he seems. :)

I want to thank my beta DylanGraceB who puts up with my schedule and my grammar mistakes. I couldn't do this without her.

I also want to thank baleighking13, Tennisballer747, mokelly, WendyAliceJuliet and ccc102 for your reviews! You are awesome and your reviews made my day!

As always, feedback is appreciated! It makes me so happy to read your comments!

Game, set, match. Tennis girl.


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